Spacers are common features used in the manufacturing of integrated circuits, and are used in both the front end of line processes, which include the formation of transistors, and back end of line processes, which include the formation of the metal connections to connect the transistors. For example, transistors often have gate spacers that are on the gate electrodes of the transistors. The gate spacers electrically insulate the gate electrodes from other conductive features. Furthermore, the gate spacers are used to define the locations of source and drain regions of the transistors.